


Puppy Love

by Olpgurl



Series: Damerey Week [5]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Dog BB-8, F/M, Long-Distance Relationship, Mutual Pining, POV Poe Dameron
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-19
Updated: 2018-10-19
Packaged: 2019-08-02 00:11:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,572
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16294625
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Olpgurl/pseuds/Olpgurl
Summary: Rose is tired of Poe being alone, so she begins planning how to introduce him to Rey. They both already have something in common, or someone. The skittish beagle they both adore but can’t adopt on their own.Damerey Week Day 5:  Modern AU





	Puppy Love

“Thank you so much for coming in today,” Kay greeted him with a relieved smile. 

He shrugged with a grin. “My leave just started, I’m free for the next few months,” he replied casually. “Call me whenever you need.”

She gave him a smirk. “You know damn well I’ll totally use that to my advantage,” she said. “You basically just signed your life away.”

He finished signing in before replying. “You’re assuming I actually have a life,” he said with a forced smile. 

He walked towards the back, anxious to get away from the awkward questions that would follow. He was in his mid thirties, most people his age were married with multiple kids and yet here he was still a bachelor. It was a little hard to start a relationship when he was out of the country nine months of the year. And had been living like that for most of his life. So he got used to being the fun uncle to a bunch of kids he wasn’t actually related to and tried to keep busy. Why he started volunteering at the shelter when Rose mentioned it. He couldn’t have a pet, as much as he’d love one. So he might as well help out with the homeless dogs, it would be the closest he would get to owning one unless a miracle happened. 

He said hi to Rose but she had her headphones in as usual and missed it. She was getting everyone’s breakfast ready anyways. They usually chatted during break, he could catch up with her later. He turned towards the smaller kennels, where his favourite little guy was. Everyone knew how partial he was to B.B., several of the staff had told him to just adopt the beagle last year until he (or Rose) explained his job and why it wasn’t possible. He loved the sweet little guy and would take him in a heartbeat if it was feasible. No one wanted hounds, except hunters and a neutered hound was completely useless to them. To make things worse, B.B. was too skittish for most people. It had taken him a solid month last year to get the beagle to stop cowering every time to tried to take him out. If the shelter hadn’t been destroyed a no-kill, the dog would have been history a long time ago. 

He got to the right kennel only to stop dead. It was empty, BB’s kennel was never empty. Rose was the only staff member he even remotely trusted and if she was feeding, his dog should have been inside. The dread filled him completely, he had been here three days ago when he worked his regular shift. He turned around and sprinted back to Rose. He didn’t mean to scare the crap out of her but he forgot the headphones. Metal bowls and kibble went flying as she spun quickly towards him, hand on her chest. 

“Damn it Poe!” she yelled. “You just took 20 years off my life!”

“Where’s BB?” he asked hastily.

Rose rolled her eyes. “Yes I’m fine now thanks,” she replied sarcastically. “And I will gladly accept your help cleaning up the mess you made.”

“I’m sorry and of course I’ll help but where’s my boy?” he asked again. 

“He’s in the yard with one of the other volunteers, relax,” she said calmly. “I thought you knew you weren’t his only parent.”

He dropped the bowls he had just picked up. “Wait what?” he asked stupidly. “I have shared custody? Who is this person?”

Rose tried to answer but he was out the side door to the play yard. He marched around the side of the building with a purpose. Who did this person think they were? BB was his (okay not really) dog, he was the one who got the beagle to trust. No one else should be taking advantage. What if they wanted to adopt BB? What if they never let him see the little guy again? 

Okay he was being irrational, but he was attached. For the second time in five minutes, he stopped dead. BB was running around, too big toy in his mouth. His dog was fine, playing with someone who wasn’t him. The surge of jealousy welled up but he tried to push it down. If this person could take BB out of here, he should be happy. 

BB started yelping, the toy forgotten as he bounded over. He dropped down into a crouch, giving the dog his usual snuggle. He looked up when the pair of feet appeared in his vision, getting a good look at the woman who might just end up breaking his heart. He’d gotten so used to seeing so few new women, he faltered at the sight of her. She was smiling nervously, playing with her hair. 

“So you must be Poe,” she said as he held out her hand. “Rose talks about you all the time.”

He rose from his crouch, resisting the urge to wipe his hands on his pants. He took her hand in a quick shake, surprised at how strong her grip was. “Yeah I do martial arts,” she said with a laugh. “People are always surprised, I know I look like a strong wind will blow me over.”

The British accent threw him for a moment. “So not from around here I guess ...” he said lamely, trailing off. _I should have at least gotten her name from Rose, damn it._

“Yes, English. Obviously,” she replied, cheeks pinking up. “I moved here with my uncle right before high school, so yeah. I’m babbling aren’t I? Oh my god, I’m being a bloody twit but Rose told me all about you and now you’re here and you probably want me away from BB and instead I just keep talking! I’ll go inside and get Chewie and take him for a walk, I didn’t know you came on Wednesdays!”

He couldn’t help the laugh, she was kind of sweet. “I need to go back inside and help Rose with something, just take your time,” he said trying to relax her. “I can see him before I go, don’t worry.”

She gave him a grateful smile, throwing the toy for BB to distract him. “Better hurry then, I saw he’s pretty attached to you,” she whispered. 

He gave her one last smile before sneaking back into the building. Rose turned instantly, nodding at the broom she had left out. “Or is there a worse mess in the yard? You don’t look injured so you must not have made too big of an ass of yourself,” she said sarcastically. “Rey might be one of the few people who could completely kick your military butt so don’t mess with her. Her uncle even taught to fight with swords. Like real, actual, something straight from a historical drama sword fight.”

He could feel his eyebrows raise at that. “Rey Kenobi is one of a kind,” she said with a smirk. “Keep on her good side, and we’ll all do just fine.”

He would learn the full story later, Rose inviting him for dinner that night. He’d known her for years, her being the bratty little sister of one his best friends. He knew there was a new boyfriend since he’d left, so he was happy to get a chance to meet him and make sure he was a decent guy (as per Paige’s request). What he hadn’t expected was Rey to walk back into his life only hours later. 

The new boyfriend was her friend, Rey was the one to introduce them. Finn was a good guy, funny, thoughtful and kind. He could report back to Paige that her sister had made a good choice. They seemed to all split up naturally after dinner, the couple cleaning up and refusing any help so he was alone with Rey. They seemed to stick with the safest subject they knew, a tiny beagle that he could tell she seemed to adore as much as he did. “So you thinking of adopting him?” he asked after draining his beer, liquid courage was essential for that answer. 

“I wish I could,” she answered, looking away. “My place is a dump and doesn’t have an elevator but it was the cheapest place I could find. Grad school is costing me a fortune so I have to live on budget. So why haven’t you adopted him? I know Rose said you travel a lot but there’s pet sitters or friends.”

He barely managed to contain the snort. “Travel a lot, that’s new,” he said with a grin. She looked completely confused. “I’m guessing she forgot to mention the traveling part was for most of the year. I’m gone more than I’m home, one of the joys of the military.”

“Oh,” she replied quietly. “Guess it would be hard to to have a pet if you’re in like Afghanistan or something. Not married then?”

“Nope,” he said simply. That was a topic he avoided like the plague. “The house sitter costs enough but a pet sitter for months on end? I’d be broke in no time and who knows if BB would even like them. I miss having a renter, it was so much easier when someone lived there while I was gone. But she finished school and moved home so I haven’t gotten around to finding someone new. Little hard to do when I’m overseas, I don’t want some psycho moving in.”

“You should rent it to Rey,” Rose said as she sat on the couch between them. “She’d get out of that horror show she calls home, and you guys can totally be coparents to BB. It’s perfect actually.”

He knew it was too good to be true. Of course this was a set up, it was Rose after all. “Any other parts of my life you want to rearrange?” he asked sarcastically. “Got a mail order bride in the spare room? Did you send out some adoption applications while I was gone?”

“I’m just making a suggestion,” she replied, the faux innocence routine firmly in place. “Rey lives in the old hotel on Third, it’s not safe. You get a new renter that is 100% vouched for and she gets to live in a way better neighbourhood, closer to school. And you guys can totally take BB on foster for a while to see if you can work out a way to keep him. You two are the only people he responds to, he’d thrive with both of you. Wins all around.”

He raised an eyebrow at her. “That tone hasn’t worked on me since you were 13, Rose. How long have you been cooking this scheme up?” he asked. 

“Fine,” she replied, arms crossing over her chest. “Four months but you have to admit, it would totally work.”

“I’m fine Rose,” Rey interrupted with a huff. “I can take care of myself.”

“You’ve had your place broken into once already,” she replied rounding on the other woman. “I know you’re like this scary ninja who could kill us all with one hand tied behind your back but you could be living somewhere where the halls don’t smell like pee. And just like we can vouch for you, I can vouch for Poe. No more creepy landlord either Rey, just imagine.”

So that’s how he found himself spending his Saturday showing them the loft apartment over his garage. It had been built for his grandfather after his mother died but they had been renting it off and on since he died. Rose used her powers of persuasion and suddenly he had himself a new tenant. She wouldn’t be moving in until next month but Rose was gleefully crowing every time she saw him. 

It didn’t help that he’d agreed to “fostering” BB. He was now the proud owner of half a pet store, he might have gone a little overboard. Everything from the mundane like bowls, toys of every variety, and three different pet beds for assorted rooms in the house. Not to mention doubles of some of it to put in Rey’s apartment. He would be bringing his dog home, new harness already installed in his car, blanket laid out on the backseat. 

He’d held off on volunteering for the next two weeks, adjusting to his new role as pet parent. Rey and Rose were over frequently, usually dragging Finn with them as the little guy got used to the new environment. As the visits went on, Rose had a habit of making herself scarce, insisting she was a reminder of the shelter and he and Rey should be the ones bonding with BB, not her. It put his guard up, Rose’s schemes tended to include matchmaking but it made sense so he let it drop. She’d been nagging him for years about getting out there again but he had gotten used to being alone, even if it did suck. Rey was young, still in school and most likely wanted nothing to do with him other than the dog they both adored. But he had to admit, having a warm body to go to sleep with was nice, even if said body was a small fur-ball. 

His leave passed a lot faster than usual, spending his last day making sure Rey was set up with everything she would need. Favourite toys, cash for any emergency vet visits, extra food and whatever other details were gone over together. She had a key for the house and would check up on it every few days, so he’d been able to avoid the house sitter. He’d even given her his dad’s number in Florida just in case there was some emergency and she couldn’t contact him. He was pretty much stuck with email for the next few months, and the occasional Skype time but he usually saved that for dad. 

Kes had been surprised by the new addition to the family but if it was the only grandchild he was going to get, he would love and spoil the damn dog (his words). He’d had a few moments of joy at the mention of someone named Rey but he’d made sure he put a stop to that train of thought. Rey was apparently brilliant on top of everything else. Once she finished school, she would undoubtedly move on to bigger and better things than a cheap apartment and some lonely pilot. He was seriously considering getting out, but that still meant another year after this. She wouldn’t stay forever but he’d been happier these last few month than he’d been in years. He didn’t know what he would do if he left but maybe it was time for something new. 

So he headed to his ship, going somewhere he wasn’t supposed to tell anyone and lived the life he had become completely used to. He did his duties, spent time with his friends, but it just couldn’t compare anymore. The emails he got from people back home made him happier than anything else. Particularly emails from a certain brunette that seemed to contain mostly pictures of their dog doing cute, stupid or new things. He made sure to save at least one of his calls for her, checking in to see how everything was going back at the house. BB would come running across the small apartment at the sound of his voice, head filling up the view of the camera as he went to lick the screen. It killed him every time, Rey’s laughter in the background as she needed to pick him up and pull him off her desk. He would usually curl up on her lap, falling asleep as they caught up. 

He wasn’t sure when it happened exactly, but somewhere in there something shifted. They started talking more about themselves than the dog sleeping in her lap. Their emails moving from her worries about school, his evasive answers about what he was doing, moved to childhood memories and favourite things. And somewhere in there he managed to fall for Rey Kenobi. 

 

****

 

He kind of hated this part, but he knew he was the rare exception. Most of the people with him were beyond excited, being able to see their families for the first time in months. Ever since his dad had moved away, he hadn’t had anyone here to greet him. So he usually held back, letting the hoard go first so he could walk straight out of the building and head to his empty house. It wasn’t empty anymore technically but it’s not like BB could drive here to meet him. So he’d get a cab and wait until he got home to get licked to death by a hyper beagle. 

He pulled out his cell, scrolling through the contacts when he heard the familiar high pitched bark. He looked up in time to see Rey losing her battle to restrain the white and brown bundle of energy tugging hard on a leash. He dropped to his knees, getting a face full of dog spit for his trouble but he wasn’t going to complain in the slightest. His dog finally stopped, dropping to the ground to flash his belly. He laughed at the huff from Rey as he complied with the dog’s request. He finally rose, BB in his arms, not caring he would end up with a uniform full of white hairs. 

He managed to finally look at Rey, strangely anxious. If she hadn’t already figured out how he felt about her, it might be painfully obvious now that he was standing in front of her. “So not that I’m mad but what are you guys doing here?” he asked nervously. 

She rolled her eyes. “We came to pick you up,” she replied like it was obvious. It sort of was but he hadn’t expected it. “Your dad called me and said you would always just take a cab home and that’s silly. I have a car and I’m free, why should you have to do that.”

“You’ve been talking to my dad?” he asked in surprise. “When did that start?”

She shrugged as she started walking towards the parking lot. “He called me out of the blue a few months ago, wanting to make sure I was alright,” she replied. “We had this big storm and it made the news so he wanted to make sure nothing was wrong with the house and we just started chatting. You need to cook for me according to him, he was very upset that I only live on take away and things I can make in the microwave.”

He watched her as she struggled with the keys to unlock her car. He was pretty sure it was older than he was but she loved to play under the hood and it still ran so he tried not to say anything. “I’ll cook you something,” he teased. “I guess I owe you for the drive at the very least. Give me a couple of days to get used to the time change and get some groceries.”

She beamed at him, taking BB to strap him into his harness. “I miss real food sometimes,” she said as they slid into the front. “My uncle Ben couldn’t cook so I never learned how so its ramen and Mac and cheese for me most of the time. Why Rose makes me go there for dinner at least once a week, she thinks I’m going to die of scurvy.”

“Looks like I need to invite you over more often,” he said without thinking. 

“Looks like we have a nightly date,” she said as she pulled out of the spot. 

_Don’t I wish that were true._ He kept quiet on the drive, listening to her talk. He wasn’t sure what he was going to do now that he was back, it had been hard enough to brush aside his feelings when she was far away but now he’d see her daily. For all he knew there was a boyfriend in the picture she’d never mentioned. He was going to screw this up royally. 

He managed to put off any questions, he’d missed sleeping in a real bed and his was definitely calling. She left BB with him, saying they needed some time. He was more than okay with that idea, sleeping well for the first time in almost a year. By the time he woke up, the sun had set. He had missed calls he would need to return but food was the priority. He ordered a pizza before calling his dad, letting him know he’d gotten home safe and giving him hell for becoming Rey’s personal chef. His father was completely unapologetic, hinting not so subtly at how much he liked her. He ignored the hints, Rey was better off without him in her life. She was just starting out, still in school, still young, still hopeful. He didn’t want to drag her down. 

So he spent the next few days settling back in. He chatted idly with Rey, she always seemed to come down from her apartment whenever he let BB out in the yard. He waved from the window if he saw her coming or going. He did everything he desperately could to not look like a lovesick moron. He was pretty sure he was doing a convincing job until she brought up their date. He hadn’t felt like a fumbling teenager even when he actually was one but now he seemed to be making up for it. 

“Date?” he asked, voice cracking slightly. 

One eyebrow rose. “Did you forget?” she asked instead of answering. 

He felt panicked, he hadn’t been that out of it when she picked him up. “You’re supposed to feed me, remember?” she teased. 

“Right, dinner,” he said in a rush. “I can make you something and just bring it to you. I’m sure you’ve got better things to do than waste time with me.”

“I wouldn’t call it wasting time,” she replied in parting. 

_Do I have a fucking date?_

 

*****

 

So he went with his best meal, actually shaved properly and went with casual instead dressy. The house was cleaner than usual but he skipped the candles or flowers. It wasn’t a date. But it might be. He’d officially begun freaking out about having Rey over. He hadn’t been on anything resembling a real date in years. The closest thing had been group outings with friends where some stranger who also happened to be single had been invited. Best case had been a one night stand, worst case had been the most awkward evening of being lectured about being a part of the government’s war machine. He didn’t have a clue how he was supposed to act tonight. He had feelings for her but he had no idea what she was thinking. 

Rey arrived on time, offered to help but was shooed away. He walked in on her snuggling with BB, and it just made everything simple. They sat on the couch, popped in a movie and ate with BB snoozing between them. They paused it halfway through, her insisting she help clean up and giving the dog a chance for an outside break. He expected her leave, everything was going far too well for this to be real. She’d loved the food, they hadn’t had a single awkward silence as they loaded the dishwasher and it was probably the most domestic he’d felt in his life. There was no way this could last. But when he went out back to retrieve BB, she was waiting on the couch for him. The dog decided to betray him, moving to his bed, using it for the first time since he bought the damn thing. He didn’t have a lot of choice but to join Rey. 

He sat back on the couch, turning the movie back on, far too aware of the space between them. Rey shifted after a few minutes, closing the gap as she moved to put her legs up. He couldn’t concentrate on the movie much after than, wanting nothing more than to find some other casual move to close the distance further. His brain didn’t want to comply, leaving him sitting stiffly for the next 45 minutes. The credits began to roll, Rey moving back to sitting so she could stretch. He may have stared a bit, but he was only human. He looked over at BB, swearing his dog was staring at him judgementally. He rose from the couch, knowing he didn’t have an excuse to keep her here longer. He couldn’t even really offer to take her home, she lived less than a minute away. He decided to split the difference, heading towards the door with her so he could let BB out for one last break before bed. She stayed with him a moment, watching as he threw a ball for BB to catch. 

“So thanks for dinner,” she said shyly. “That was probably the best meal I’ve had in my life.”

“Well I can’t let you starve, BB would miss you,” he replied. “You can come over whenever you want, I usually make too much and just eat leftovers for days.”

She smiled at that. “Well I don’t want you to feel like you have to,” she said as she looked away. “You’d be stuck with me every night, it was lonely when you left.”

He shrugged. “I meant it,” he replied. “Come over whenever.”

Rey kept surprising him, he really hadn’t expected her to show up the next day. Or the one after that. He was disappointed when she didn’t appear the next night only to have her arrive the night after to inform him she had her weekly dinner with Finn and Rose. So he quietly kept buying more food so he always had extra for Rey. Sometimes she had to leave right after, her school work needed to get done but most of the time she stayed. They would watch something on TV, her insisting he needed to catch up or even start watching some show. Other nights she would just spend playing or snuggling with BB as they chatted, still getting used to not having him in her apartment. 

“Do we need a custody schedule?” he teased. “You want him every other weekend until I leave?” 

She looked away, not amused at the idea. “I was just kidding,” he said more seriously. “Just ask if you need him for the night, I won’t be mad.”

She gave him a smile, but he knew her well enough to know it was fake. “He’s your dog Poe,” she replied. “I’ll be okay without him. I got to have him for months, you deserve your turn.”

He wanted to say something but asking her to move in, even if it was the spare room probably wouldn’t go well. At all. So their not dates continued, him falling deeper. Rose certainly wasn’t helping, inviting him to their weekly dinners once she knew he was back. They’d known each other a long time, one look at him and she knew. There was no stopping Rose once she was on a mission, and she was determined they were couple material. Rey clued in, smiling shyly at him while shaking her head at Rose. It was better than the alternative, embarrassing her so badly she kept away. They survived dinner, the drive home quiet but comfortable. 

“I’m sorry about Rose, she’s ... well she’s Rose,” he said before they left his car. “At least Paige isn’t here, she’d be naming our future, theoretical kids.”

“She does seem to think we should be dating,” Rey replied with a laugh. “Finn’s just as bad. They couldn’t be less subtle if they tried. They mean well I suppose, it just seems like it’s an episode of Friends.”

He laughed. “Maybe I should skip dinners from now on, she might decide to up her game and lock us in a room until we declare our undying love for each other. I don’t think she gets it.”

“Gets what?” she asked, confused look on her face. 

He shifted in his set, unbuckling himself to keep from saying something stupid. She was looking at him expectantly. “You’re gorgeous. And smart. And completely out of my league,” he mumbled. “You deserve to be with someone your age who might not be an unemployed bum this time next year.”

She was quiet He just had to open his mouth and ruin everything. He got out of the car, restraining himself from slamming the door. _She’s going to move out, BB is going to hate you for her leaving, Rose is going to scream for hours and all because you just couldn’t think of a stupid excuse._ He almost made it to the door when he felt the hand on his arm. Rey was standing there furious. And I’m about to get slapped, perfect. 

She stepped in closer, making him back up against the door. He definitely remembered Rose’s initial warning. “You really are that clueless,” she said with a roll of her eyes. “Good thing intelligence is inherited from the mother. You know, for our theoretical children. If you get your bloody head out of your arse.”

He stared at her blankly, not quite understanding. She laughed at him before moving closer to place a kiss on the side of his mouth. “You better explain the unemployed bum comment tomorrow,” she said before leaving. “When we go on a real date. I’ll be here by seven.”

 

*****

 

If he thought her coming over for dinner was bad, the idea of a real date was terrifying. He was a trained combat pilot, had years of experience being at war and all it took to completely unnerve him was a 24 year old grad student. So he tried to get some sleep and in the morning did as he was told: got his head out of his ass and planned for an actual date. He wasn’t sure why he’d been so nervous, they’d known each other for a year. There weren’t any awkward silences, he didn’t have to concentrate on not saying something ridiculous and no worrying if he was coming off as an asshole. It had gone as well as any first date could have, better than actually. The ten minute makeout session after he had walked her to the stairs of her apartment was definitely not a first date kiss. And the cautiously happy look when he mentioned leaving the military was enough to really make him consider leaving. He’d stuck it out this long out of habit, maybe a change would be better. 

Dinner with Rose and Finn that week had been a mess. They’d shown up holding hands and Rose hadn’t let them forget who helped bring them together. The phone call to Paige had been completely unnecessary but they might as well let her have her fun just this once. Finn was more amused than any of them at his girlfriend’s antics, shaking his head and smiling fondly. At least they made it through the night, offering to switch up with the weekly meals. Rey really couldn’t cook worth a damn but she was amazing with a knife. He always hated the prep work part of cooking so it worked perfectly for them. 

The remainder of his leave passed far too quickly, he knew she felt it too. He’d finish this last tour and that was it for him, he was done putting his life on hold. He ignored the strange looks from his friends, just like he hadn’t had anymore picking him up when he returned, he also hadn’t had anyone drop him off in years either. A few of the more curious came over, wanting to meet the woman who had managed to destroy his lifelong bachelor status. They got the call, it was time to leave. He’d been dreading this moment for weeks, pretty much since she had given him that first kiss. 

She wasn’t crying, he was sure he wouldn’t have been able to move if she had been. “We did this once, we can do it again,” he said quietly. “Dad’s more than happy to give up his Skype time for you. I think he likes you more than me at this point.”

Rey snuggled in, her grip getting marginally tighter. “We weren’t together last time,” she said with a nervous laugh. “It’s a little different when I know what I’ll be missing out on.”

He dropped a kiss to her hair, he really needed to leave. “You’ve got school, BB and Jess is moving into the apartment next week. Rose promised you can come over any time and Finn would drop just about anything to help you out. You’ll have plenty to distract you,” he said smiling. He pulled away to push a strand of hair behind her ear. “Love you.”

“I know,” she replied as she let go. “I love you too. Don’t do anything stupid, me and BB need you.”

He gave her one last kiss, he was going to spend the next several hours being roasted mercilessly for it but he couldn’t care less. “I’d promise not to crash but Paige ruined that,” he said with an eye roll. “I guess I just need to promise that I’ll come home.”


End file.
